Victim identified in fatal motorcycle crash

Speed was a factor in a motorcycle crash that claimed the life of an Idaho Falls man, authorities said Friday.

Preston Dixson, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 6:45 p.m. accident Thursday at the corner of 17th Street and Rollandet Avenue.

Bonneville County Coroner Rick Taylor said Dixson died of multiple traumatic injuries to his body.

Dixson was riding a 2013 Harley Davidson FXD motorcycle eastbound on 17th Street when he lost control and struck a pole off the roadway, the Idaho Falls Police Department reported. Sgt. Phil Grimes said speed was a contributing factor.

Idaho Falls Police and Idaho State Police are reconstructing the incident to see how fast Dixson was going and what caused the crash.

A passenger on Dixson’s motorcycle, Hayley Flowers, 32, of Idaho Falls, escaped serious injury in the crash. Flowers and Dixson were not wearing helmets.

“She was walking around at the scene,” Grimes said.

Flowers was transported by ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where she was treated for her injuries.

Bystanders told the Post Register on Thursday night that Dixson appeared to have been racing with another motorcyclist when the crash occurred.

Police interviewed witnesses and concluded that Dixson was not racing.